Kraken Road Show Hits Spokane This Weekend 

Kraken forward Berkly Catton knows more about present-day hockey in Spokane than just about anybody associated with the NHL club.

And so, Catton, the former major junior star who guided the Spokane Chiefs to the Western Hockey League Final last spring, is beyond pleased his current team will send a delegation of staffers to the Eastern Washington city this weekend as part of a planned Kraken Road Show series of events. The Kraken and Chiefs will combine forces in a schedule that includes school visits by mascot Buoy, a Saturday “Try Hockey For Free” session for local youngsters, and a Sunday afternoon watch party at a Spokane eatery when the NHL squad plays the New York Islanders.

“I know the town’s going to absolutely love it,” said Catton, who tore up the WHL ranks with Spokane the past few seasons ahead of earning a spot with a Kraken team that drafted him No. 8 overall in July 2024. “Folks are going to actually eat that up. I know I’d be super excited if I were there. It’s just awesome how great a hockey community it is and how much support there is there for the Chiefs and for the Kraken.”

Catton himself is driving a lot of that interest, his junior hockey exploits bringing scores of new supporters to the Chiefs and now the Kraken, as well as his former Spokane fans continue following his NHL progress.

“We’re out in the public talking and people are aware that we had a player that is now playing with the Kraken,” Chiefs president Mark Miles said. “The casual fan has become more of a fan of both teams because of that. I’ve heard it numerous times. People have gone over to see the Kraken play for the first time ever just so they can see Berkly play.”

Miles and the Chiefs played host to the very first Kraken game of any kind in September 2021 when they beat the Vancouver Canucks, 5-3, in their preseason debut at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

“It’s non-stop over here with people asking, ‘When are you having another Kraken game?’ ” Miles said.

The weekend events will mark the first official Kraken visit of any kind since that game.

Saturday’s schedule includes the Kraken and Chiefs co-hosting two-hour-long “Try Hockey For Free” clinics for about 200 players starting at 12:30 p.m. at the local arena, with Kraken youth hockey coaches in attendance. That will be followed by a Buoy appearance at the Chiefs game that night against the Victoria Royals, while Kraken staffers distribute team posters, cheer cards, and magnets at tables throughout the arena concourse.

Sunday’s watch party starts at noon at the Flatstick Pub, two hours before the Kraken and Islanders square off on Long Island. The party will be featured on the Kraken Hockey Network broadcast, which starts at 1:30 p.m. with host Ian Furness on-site with TV analyst and former NHL player Brett Festerling. There will also be special broadcast guests, light bites, drink specials, and signed prizes.

The event will also feature family-focused activations, signed item sweepstakes, giveaways, and a Sea Patrol Kids’ Club integration.

Monday morning will see Buoy visit the Tegna-owned KREM TV station that carries Kraken games. After that, the mascot and Kraken staff will pay visits to Hamblen Elementary and Regal Elementary, along with Ridgeline High School.

Spokane has a long and colorful hockey history dating back to 1916, when the Spokane Canaries played in the major professional Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The Spokane Comets of the minor pro Western Hockey League, with alumni that included former hockey broadcaster Don Cherry, began play in 195,8 while the major junior Chiefs were formed in 1982 and have twice won the Memorial Cup in 1991 and 2008.

Miles said he hopes the weekend initiatives are just the start of increased collaboration between the Chiefs and Kraken at “growing the game” in Spokane. A donor-initiated proposal to build a privately funded $44-million, 65,000-square-foot facility containing two NHL-sized ice sheets was presented last month to the Spokane Valley City Council.

“To grow youth hockey, girls’ hockey, and ice sports in general, we need more ice here in Spokane,” Miles said. “So, a few weeks ago, we went over and had some collaboration with the Kraken on ways to collaborate together on initiatives once this rink gets built and we have an opportunity to actually start growing the game.

“Having the Kraken as part of some of the initiatives we plan on doing in the future is just instant credibility,” he added. “And having the Kraken partner up on some of our Try Hockey For Free stuff and just different initiatives is going to help us with our goal of growing the game here on the east side of the state.”

Catton said he hopes that vision materializes for the two Washington hockey cities he now most calls home. Spokane will always hold a place dear to his heart because it’s where he came of age as a hockey player.

“It’s just a really passionate place with hard-working people and great people all around, and I really enjoyed my time there,” Catton said. “And like I've said before, I feel like I went in there as a little boy and left as a young man. And it's cliché, but it's actually true. So, it’s a very special place in my heart, and feels like my second home.”